Nina lives a charmed life in her beautiful, immaculate home, spending her days cooking, shopping, and looking after her two boys and successful husband. Then one day a terrible accident changes her life completely. Suddenly destitute, she loses her home and is forced to move back to a tiny flat in the working class area she had escaped from twenty years earlier. She struggles to find a job and adjust to a new life, but also to reconnect with her sister.
I found the dialogue a bit unbelievable, too much self-analysis and angst, and couldn't imagine these characters actually talking to each other in this way.
The plot is familiar and predictable aside from a slight twist towards the end. This is a light, entertaining read, perfect for a holiday or long flight.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second Amanda Prowse book.
She writes of families that you will become a part of, and you will root for.

A family living their lives and all is well...
or so it appears.

Then the husband/father dies-
hidden discoveries are seen.
they lose their home, belongings, security; but not each other.

The Art of Hiding was just an OK book for me. The book wasn't bad, in fact I really liked the writing style, I just wasn't in the right state of mind for this type of story. The main heroine Nina wasn't really likable, at least in the first half of the book. As I read I found myself getting angry with her for being so passive and so naïve. She relied on Finn, her husband, who was a successful business owner and the sole provider, for everything. In her role as a rich housewife all her activities revolved around keeping a nice house for her husband and their children. She never paid a bill, checked a bank statement, or asked any questions about Finn's business. So when Finn died and she discovered that he lost his business and left them in a massive debt, she found herself unprepared to deal with the consequences.

I enjoyed the second part of the book a lot more. We got to see Nina's growth, her determination to provide for her children and to keep them safe. We also saw her making amends with her sister Tiggy, whom she neglected while married to Finn. It was interesting to see the changes in Nina and how she learned to love her new, humbler life.

The Art of Hiding is very much a character driven book and it would be a good choice for a book club because the author raises some very interesting questions about relationships, money, grief, and self-discovery.

This isn't the type of book I usually read. When I was offered the chance to read it through NetGalley I thought I would check it out and probably pass. I started reading and found myself caught up in the story. It is definitely a tear jerker, which I wouldn't usually read, but it was so well written I had to keep going. If you like emotional character driven books than this one is for you. At the heart of this story is the reality of a marriage and the struggle between mother and child during adolescent. A few times I thought the author was going to give our protagonist an easy way out but she didn't. I've read stories that are far more Cinderella like in how the character overcomes tragedy but that is definitely not the case here. This is a family drama that is very real. You cannot but hope for the family to make it through to the other side. By the end I was still invested in the family and curious about where they were going. I received this copy for free though NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This is a stunner of a book. Right from the start I was engrossed. I felt so sad for Nina when Finn died, and for her lovely boys. It was as though I knew them personally.

She is left with nothing, and you feel so much sympathy and pride for her when she tries to put her life back together again.

It feels like such a huge, momentous story, and yet it’s something that happens all the time to ordinary people. This is what makes Amanda Prowse’s books so extraordinary.

This book should come with warnings: will make you cry and smile, and also, be prepared to want to cancel everything so that you can finish it.

Thought-provoking and captivating, it’s a must-read.

How can I describe this book? It's a book of two halves really. Nina has ' the perfect life', money,family and well everything.
This is an exploration of what happens if that is suddenly taken away. Finn her husband dies and what was a perfect existence is gone in the blink of an eye. So how do people from privilege survive in a world of poverty and self sacrifice in order to survive.
To some it will seem the cruelest of fates and to others a journey of self awareness and self discovery.
Some will dislike Ninas thought processes whilst others will see the true depth to self discovery and self fulfilment. Are people with less more honest and more genuine. What you in life is real and what is fake and how are we so conditioned that we can't see this?
The author is incredibly accurate in her analysis of people,how we rag names to them ,toothless Vera, made me smile but that does not detract from seeing the real person beneath.

So,this is well written,insightful,emotional. If you are looking for a pacy read save this until you want to sit and relax in to it,I did not find it pacy but a gentle amble.
Well worth a read

I enjoyed this book. The too perfect empty lifestyle, the shattering events and the rebuilding of the new were well described. The narrative is linear, comfortable and even the gentle twist at the end was predictable. I found the portrayal of life before and after the death a bit too black and white, all the rich people being hollow and empty, all the poor people being wonderfully alive. Overall I enjoyed it and would certainly recommend the book to others. Read on NetGalley free for an honest review.
Posted on Amazon

The Art of Hiding is the first book I've read by Amanda Prowse and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It follows the story of Nina, she has a wonderful life with her husband Finn and her sons Connor and Declan in a beautifully house in Bath. The boys attend an exclusive school and she spends her days living the perfect life.

Then everything changes a Finn is killed in a car crash and everything Nina thought she could rely on begins to unravel. Her life off luxury becomes a distant memory as she and the boys are forced to move to Southampton, a place where she thought she'd escaped from for good. This book followed her as she starts to take charge of her life and begin to provide for the boys.

It's a lovely story that covers a woman's experience of both loss and love. The characters are all likeable and it's easy to get immersed into the story. I would give this book 4 stars, I read it in a few days and can recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author for the chance to review.

This book was so Real. Raw. Emotional. It was an eye opener as well. No one ever wants to believe that this could happen to them but it's very possible. I am a stay at home mom. This could be me. It is a bit scary to think of something that way. It makes me wonder and question if I've made the right choice in not working but also I think I would make things work if this should happen to me. Plus, I can't live worrying that this can happen to me. I have to trust in my husband and not become an expert in the Art of Hiding.

I read this book in one night. Almost in one sitting. Definitely a page turner! This is the second book by Amanda Prowse that I've read and it won't be the last.

when nina mccarrick's husband dies suddenly everything in her life is turned upside down. it's not just the loss of her husband, whom she loved, that hurts. because what she learns is that their life is built on smoke and mirrors and his death brings everything crashing down around her. and it would be one thing if it were just her that needed to re-acclimate, but her two sons haven't asked for any of this and she has to be strong enough to protect them.

the art of hiding is not just about what we hide from the people we love, it's about what we hide from ourselves, it's about the hiding we do from others. nina has to start over but the further away that old life resides, the more she realizes that it kept her in a cage. and this new life where she has a job and works hard to keep her kids happy and connects with her sister and fellow rugby parents is more fulfilling and rewarding and happier than the life she lived before.

starting over means that she doesn't have to hide anymore. she can be her true self. and as much as she misses her husband. she also realizes she resents him. and she also realizes that she loves him no matter what he did. even as she realizes that she let him isolate her from people who would have loved her in order to keep his love to himself. people are complicated and often difficult to know. to some degree we all hide something. this truth is what lies at the heart of the art of hiding which is more than just another book about a widow who has to start over.

The book opens with Nina at a rugby came watching her son. She's waiting for her husband who is late when she gets that dreaded phone call. Her husband is dead and life will never be the same for her or her two boys.
This book has a lot of promise. The plot didn't hold my total interest but at it's heart it was a story of facing ones personal demons.

Miss Prowse' books always seem to reach into the heart and pull the emotions out and this book was no exception.The story revolved around Nina , a once happily married mother of two boys who had finally made it in the eyes of the world and her community.She received devastating news on a typical day that should have ended with a celebration, instead she is brokenhearted and in despair.As time goes by, while she tries to regroup and go it alone with her kids, the hits keep coming and she is desperately trying to reconcile what her life has become to what she thought she had before, and she is unable to grasp the disparity in both.Nina is gradually coming to the realization that maybe she didn't know the man she was married to, if he was able to pull off such a deception without her having any inkling of the depths to which her life would plunge.She is also becoming self aware and becoming cognizant of the fact that somewhere within her marriage she lost herself. I was astounded and initially unaccepting of the fact that she was so clueless as to most aspects of her life , but as the story rolls along at a steady pace, I admired the slow but steady way she harnessed her inner strength and made a new life for her and her kids.Her sister Tiggy was unquestioningly there with her assistance and reinforced that family ties are some of the truest and best support anyone could wish for.While this book started out with despair,chaos and upheaval, by the end, hope and happiness was reignited and money was not the deciding factor as was once perceived.
Thank you Ms Prowse and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

This is the first book I have ever read by this author and I have very mixed emotions. Nina, the main character starts out as a spineless, whiney woman. I get that she has lost her husband, her home, etc.. I find it very difficult to believe that she was so very clueless to reality and was so happy in this relationship where she was basically just a maid to her entire family. At one point it is mentioned how the family sits down to eat but Nina stands by the counter in case they need anything else. Really? She is now t allowed to have friends because Finn ( the spouse) likes it to be just the two of them. Again, really? This sure sounds like a happy relationship. Nina needed to grow a set.

I struggled through the first half of the book. There was entirely too much whining, weakness, and spoiled rotten kids. Nina did begin to redeem herself (in my eyes) later in the book. I, however, still had difficulty relating to her.

The book was well written. Characters were fleshed out well for the most part.

The Art of Hiding is a gripping story of what happens when Nina's husband dies in an accident and her life falls apart around her. It hooked me in so hard, I finished it in two sittings. It is a hard hitting novel dealing with with very complex issues grief, poverty, priviledge and finding out everything you trusted was a lie and Amanda does this perfectly.

The book is so well written that it gives you all the feelings. It played to my fears as a parent (children growing too fast, not being ableto give them the life they are used to, letting them down) and I felt all the emotions as if it were happening to me. Nina is such a relateable character that it's hard not to identify with her and become invested in her story.

One to read for anyone who enjoys a heart-wrenching read!

My review as posted on Goodreads:

This is a well written family saga, which opens in Bath and later moves to Southampton.

Nina and Finn and their family live a privileged life style. Then Finn dies in a car crash.
Rapidly, the financially secure life style transpires to be a myth.

I can't say more without spoiling the plot. Suffice to say that Amanda Prowse manages to create some strong characters, some likeable, some not so likeable.

The book moves at a steady pace, there are some very moving sections and a few moments of humour. Perhaps unsurprisingly there is no great climax to the novel. However it is an enjoyable exploration through the changing circumstances within family life.

I enjoyed it, and on the strength of this book will look forward to future books by Amanda Prowse.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy in exchange for this review.

Nina McCarrick lives a great life far and away from the poverty in which she grew up.  She has an amazing husband, giant house, two wonderful children, living an easy, well-heeled life.  This all changes when a car crash takes husband Finn from the family.  Suddenly Nina is bombarded with truths that she knew nothing about.  Her husband’s company- gone- the money-gone-the house…. you guessed it.  Having to rely on her sister Tiggy for help she moves her boys from their posh school in bath to her old stomping grounds, a world away from everything they have ever known.  As each McCarrick fights to come to terms with their new reality, both without their security and without their figurehead, Nina must also invade the job market and figure out how to keep her family together.
My thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.  I loved this book, in fact, I stayed up all last night finishing it.  Nina is a fantastic character, loving and doting but with hidden steel.  It was great watching her find her stride.  Declan was everyone’s dream son, sweet and kind and funny.  Connor was an interesting blend of man and child.  It was interesting to see the way all the characters interacted with one another and how family ties played throughout.  The writing style was fantastic and had an easy flow between present and past memories.  For me, this was a five star book.  
As far as the Adult Content Scale goes, there is some language but that it’s minimal.  I would barely give this a two.

The book is out now, have you read it?

Amanda Prowse yet again writes about a subject that affects people on a daily basis. It is a book about how in one split second a world you know shifts on its axis with no warning.
It is a book that makes you think about the importance of love, health and happiness against the comforts of having money.
Heartbreaking story but written with the truth behind it.
Great book.

`This book was emotional from the start. I laughed, cried and got angry. I loved it and was sad when I was done!

Nina McCarrick has it all – a wonderfully loving husband, financial security and two children, 15-year old Connor and 10-year old Declan. Her perfect family and perfect life is shattered in one instance, when her husband, Finn, meets with a fatal accident. Since the news of his death, their whole world came spiraling down; as if it were in free fall.

As soon as the funeral is over and she’s coming to terms with her loss, her world collapses all over again. Nina learns that her husband’s business was under a mountain of debt and suddenly she finds herself faced with bankruptcy and eviction from their palatial house. With her back to the wall, no roof over her head, and no help from neighbors; she is forced to withdraw her sons from one of the most prestigious and premiere schools and relocate.

Due to lack of options, she decides to move to Southampton, where she spent her childhood. It was as if her life had gone backwards. While growing up, she and her sister Tiggy, faced numerous hardships; predominantly a financial crunch. After marrying Finn, she wore her wealth like a suit of armor – it offered protection from all that frightened her growing up. She had felt any worry over her financial future slip out of her life, and pleased by the fact that her kids would never know the hardships she had faced. Finn insisted on dealing with all the finances, which she welcomed as a pleasant change, from having to watch every penny and wondering what the future held.

As she reaches Portswood, and sees the dilapidated run-down apartment (which she rented from her cousin Fred), her will and external façade, which she was putting on for the boys, starts to crumble. Anger and hatred towards Finn start creeping in her mind. She was unsure of the man she had been married to for all these years – the man who consigned them all to live in a downward spiral over which she had no control. The man she thought she knew inside out and back to front had so many secrets. Finn had promised her a life free of worry, a good life for her and their children. Finn had lied.

As Nina struggles to rebuild a life for themselves, with the meager amount of cash she had; she is left questioning the true foundation of her marriage. Tiggy offers her support in all forms, for which she is very grateful. However, she parallely has to deal with the boys who, apart from grieving for their father, now have to cope with a completely different surrounding and financial situation. Declan is sweet and malleable. Connor, on the other hand, is a typical disgruntled and complicated teen. His mood and treatment of her continue with its highs and lows.

Nina searches for a job, and sends in applications to any and all kinds of adverts, but finds herself lacking in every aspect.
While she was married to Finn, she had no inkling of the external world. He controlled her and he was so good at it that she didn’t even notice. He built her a palace and gave her money and she filled it with lovely things. In the process, she lost herself, her confidence and her zest for life. She was nervous to mingle with people, constantly worried about portraying the wrong thing. She became the cardboard-cutout wife.
She’s left to question herself, “What had she done in her life other than marry well?”

People who live with extreme stress and cannot see any way out fall into two categories. The first are those who fall apart externally, seek help and battle it publicly. The second are those who don’t do this and can’t; they keep it bottled up inside and become skilled in the art of hiding. Finn fell in the latter.

But, Nina doesn’t give up. With determination, courage and faith; piece by piece she starts assembling the puzzle of their lives and things start changing ever-so-slowly. The situation into which they were forced was shaping her children, especially Connor, in a positive way. Hardship eroded his sense of haughtiness and a nicer, humbler boy started emerging.

With emotional support from Tiggy and her new found friends, and as her life starts taking some form of shape, Nina realizes that happiness can never be built on the foundations of wealth or on materialistic things. Happiness was waiting for her, in her people. She just wasn’t able to see it.

Happiness lies in being content – and in the present. If you’re constantly waiting for happiness to start, waiting for the change that will make it happen, then you might just miss some good days along the way.

This is a story of living after a tragedy, picking up the pieces of your broken life and finding happiness and contentment in the present. It is also about hope, survival and finding the inner strength and confidence to deal with life and its setbacks.

A brilliant inspirational read, which also emphasizes the need for financial independence.

One day Nina is married to the man of her dreams, living a wonderful life with Finn & their two boys. Then, when Finn is killed in a car wreck, her entire life crashes down around her. Her husband had been shielding the truth about their finances from her, and she is shocked to discover that everything is going to be reposessed, the boys kicked out of their fancy private school, and she is shunned by people she would normally call friends. In order to survive, Nina has to go back home... the one place she never wanted to see again.
For me, the book was very depressing, but at the same time it was also very realistic. The author did a good job of accurately portraying what it is like to live with no money, no idea what way to turn next, no hope for the future. The book did end on a happy note, and I feel that overall it is a very good read.